Bike Won't Start
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 71
Likes: 1
From: El Paso, TX
Bike Won't Start
My bike has been sitting idle since October. I charged up the battery and tried to start her today but I couldn't get her to start. I put gas in her, the battery is charged but when I press the starter I just get a bunch of clicks. Any ideas?
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,260
Likes: 5
From: Batesville Ga
How did you charge the battery? I'm doing this from memory since its late here and we rode all day in the cool so I'm kinda tired, but most car type battery chargers have two amp settings. I want to say 6 and 2. You charge car batteries at the higher setting and bike batteries at the lower. If you use the higher setting your bike battery won't get a good, full charge.
And did you pull the battery to charge it or charge it in place? If you pulled it I'd assume you cleaned and tightened the cables when you reinstalled so that shouldn't be a problem. But if not, the other posters are correct - check connections first. Then have the battery tested.
Since its been at least three months since it ran, I'd also inspect all the wiring. May well have had a mouse or rat gnawing on things.
And did you pull the battery to charge it or charge it in place? If you pulled it I'd assume you cleaned and tightened the cables when you reinstalled so that shouldn't be a problem. But if not, the other posters are correct - check connections first. Then have the battery tested.
Since its been at least three months since it ran, I'd also inspect all the wiring. May well have had a mouse or rat gnawing on things.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 420
Likes: 0
From: Peachtree City, GA
Clean cables, clean terminals. Slow charge battery. Or, jump it off your car, and you'll rule out everything but the battery. In the future, might want to kee it on a tender while its parked, or pull the battery and bing it inside warm and dry.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 4
From: Newtown, PA
How did you charge up the battery? How did you verify that it was fully charged? If your battery went completely dead, then a trickle charger won't fully charge it.
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"Filly me bony belly fomonos fobiscos" - Cheech & Chong
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 71
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From: El Paso, TX
I charged the battery using a motorcycle tender set at 12 volts. I removed it to charge but it was pretty dead off the bike. I'll try charging it again at 6 volts and see if that will do any better. Right now it looks like all signs are pointing towards a new battery. My bike is an '06 with the original battery. Thanks for the help!
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